Appreciation
by hermionepuckle
Summary: Ron and Hermione exchange presents on Christmas Eve.


**Title:** Appreciation  
**Ship: **Ron/Hermione  
**Rating:** PG  
**Word Count:** 799  
**Warnings:** Established Relationship (Post-Hogwarts), Major Fluff, Harry/Ginny briefly implied  
**A/N:** Originally posted as a gift for **missgranger2 **at **'s Secret Elf Ficlet Exchange**. She asked for Ron/Hermione on Christmas/Christmas Eve – spicy and sweet. Not sure I got the spicy but I most definitely got the sweet. Fluff ahoy!

* * *

"What is it that you don't understand about the phrase 'don't look'?" Hermione asked. She moved her body to shield the gift she was wrapping from Ron's curious gaze. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him glance at the clock.

"But we're exchanging presents at midnight," he said incredulously. "If I'm going to open it in about ten minutes anyway, why do you have to wrap it at all?"

Hermione huffed, blowing a wisp of hair out of her eyes.

"That's not the point, Ron. My gift _is_ wrapped, I hope?"

"Of course it is, because _I_ didn't leave _yours_ until the last minute."

Hermione finished guiding her wand carefully along the join in the wrapping paper. Then, placing her wand on the table, turned to face Ron with her hands on her hips.

"It's not as if this is the only thing you're getting from me – there will be other presents tomorrow, of course – but I've been working hard, Ron. It's not my fault I've only just had the chance to… why are you grinning at me like that?"

"You're just so easy to wind up." Ron chuckled, moving forward to wrap his arms around her waist and place a kiss against her jaw. "Surely by now you know that I do it on purpose, just to see that look you give me. Do you know how sexy you look with your hands on your hips? Especially when you're eight months pregnant?" He smoothed his hands across the front of Hermione's rounded stomach appreciatively.

"Oh, nonsense," Hermione muttered, turning away from Ron to hide her blush. "Don't think you can get around me that easily, Ron Weasley."

He laughed again and rested his head on her shoulder, hugging her from behind.

"So, can I open it now?"

"It isn't midnight yet."

"_Hermione_," he whined.

"Oh, go on." She clicked her tongue. " You're so juvenile sometimes."

Ron let out a childlike squeal and planted a quick, giddy kiss on her cheek before grabbing at the present and ripping open the paper immediately.

Maybe he was right about me wrapping it, Hermione thought. She liked to take her time with presents. She liked to open the paper slowly, to carefully peel the spelled edges away from one another. It helped to build anticipation of the gift but, better than that, it also meant the wrapping paper could be saved and used again at a later date.

Ron threw the paper to one side as he pulled out a simple, silver photo frame. He stared at it for a few moments, a smile slowly blossoming on his face.

"This is brilliant, love," he said finally.

"Wait, there's more," Hermione told him. She picked up her wand off the table and tapped the frame three times.

Slowly, the original image – the two of them at the Burrow soon after they'd got together – began to morph into another picture of them dancing at Harry and Ginny's wedding. Then, that one changed to an image of them celebrating when Ron had finally become a fully qualified Auror.

They both watched for several minutes as more photographs of their life together appeared and disappeared, until the most recent one – Ron lying asleep with his head on her baby bump as she stroked his hair – morphed back into the original.

Hermione turned to Ron just in time to see him swallow heavily.

"Wow," he whispered.

"I remembered that you said you wanted a picture frame for your new office," Hermione explained. "As I was looking through photographs to find which one was best I decided that I couldn't choose just one, so I found a way to include them all. The best part is you can just keep adding new ones. So, once the little one is born you can fill it with lots of pictures of her too." When Ron only nodded, she continued. "So, do you like it?"

"Like it?" Ron looked up. "Hermione, I can't put into words how brilliant you are. This is the most wonderful thing I've ever owned. Just wait until Harry sees it, he'll be on at you to make one for him and Gin."

He placed the frame carefully on the table and turned back to Hermione, grabbing the back of her neck and crushing their mouths together for a scorching kiss.

"Do you know how much I love you?" he breathed against her lips when they finally parted. He began to steer Hermione backwards in the direction of their bedroom. "Sorry, love, I think you might have to wait for your present. My mum always encourages me to show appreciation for the gifts I receive, and considering how much I loved it I'm going to have to show you a whole lot of appreciation."


End file.
